Remove from heat and cool slightly, then add to food processor or blender with egg or the flax egg.
Next add bread crumbs, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, salt + red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and 1 Tbsp olive oil . Pulse/blend until small bits remain, scraping down sides as needed.
Next add rinsed/dried chickpeas and blend/pulse until a “dough” is formed, scraping down sides as needed. You don’t want the chickpeas to turn into a paste, but you also don’t want any left whole.
Scoop out rounded 1 Tbsp amounts of dough and gently form/roll into balls – about 15 total. Then roll in additional parmesan cheese-bread crumb mixture to coat.
Heat the same skillet you used earlier over medium heat. Once hot, add enough olive oil to form a thin layer on the bottom of the skillet (about 2 Tbsp), then add meatballs in two batches, as to not crowd the pan. Add more oil as needed.
Brown for about 5 minutes total, shaking the pan to roll them around to brown all sides. Turn down heat slightly if browning too quickly.
Add sautéed meatballs to a bare baking sheet and transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
At this time, prep any pasta you want to serve with your meatballs, as well as your favorite marinara sauce . I used spaghetti and made a sauce with a tin of chopped tomatos& passata. Cook it on a low heat for about 20 minutes and it thickens up nicely.
Once meatballs are golden brown and fairly firm to the touch, remove from oven. Let cool briefly before serving. They will firm up the longer they cool.
To serve, top cooked pasta with marinara sauce and desired number of meatballs. Top with another sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Leftover meatballs will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, though best when fresh. Reheat in a 350 degree F oven until warmed through, or in the microwave.
To freeze, sauté meatballs as instructed, then transfer to a baking sheet and freeze until completely firm. Then transfer to a freezer safe bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in a 190 degree c oven until completely warmed through.